Wildcats Head Into New England Indoor Championships Weekend

Friday, February 2

3 PM

University of New Hampshire

New England Championship

Photo by: Alec Anterni

2/1/2018 4:33:00 PM | Women's Track & Field

DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire track and field teams will travel to Northeastern University this weekend to participate in the New England Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The New England Indoor Championships, the second oldest-indoor meet in history, will contain a field of New England area programs, from Division III all the way up to Division I.

On the women's side, the Wildcats look for the veteran leadership of Danielle Gajewski (Danville, N.H.), a New England Outdoor Champion in the 800m, and Hannah Kimball (Atkinson, N.H.), a New England Championship relay team member. UNH also looks to Kari Murnane (Byram, N.J.) in pole vault and Emma Checovich (North Hampton, N.H.) in jumps and hurdles to continue their hot streaks as well.

UP NEXT:
The 'Cats are back in action next weekend at the annual David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston on Friday, Feb. 9, and in a dual meet in Orono, Maine with the Black Bears on Saturday, Feb. 10. After a weekend off, UNH then travels back to Boston for the America East Indoor Championships on Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24.

LAST TIME OUT:

Women's: In the Terrier Invitational, senior Elinor Purrier (Montgomery, Vt.) took second place in the 800m run, finishing in two minutes, 4.53 seconds. She finished just 0.2 seconds behind the first place runner, and just 0.51 seconds behind her personal best in the event. Her time ranks second in the NCAA in the event.

In the 60m hurdles, senior Emma Checovich (North Hampton, N.H.) took first with a time of 8.91 seconds. She just beat out the second place runner by 0.09 seconds and her own person record by 0.9 seconds. Checovich also competed in the long jump and had the fifth longest jump at 17 feet, nine inches.

Senior Shelby Strickland (Kennebunk, Maine) took third in the high jump with a 5'7" jump. It was just a half inch shorter than her personal best. In the pole vault, senior Kari Murnane (Byram N.J.) took third with a 11'6.25" vault.

In Durham, the 'Cats outran the competition winning eight track events and sweeping the jumping events. In the 55m dash, Carly Orlacchio (Cromwell, Conn.) took first in 7.63 seconds, and Kristen Bourque (Londonderry, N.H.) took second in 7.65 seconds.

In the 200m dash, Maria Virga won the event with a time of 27.17 seconds, followed again by Bourque, who took second in 27.21 seconds. Caroline Mahoney (Bedford, N.H.) took first in the 3000m run with a time of 10:25.57, followed by Kayla Farren (Nashua, N.H.) in second place in 10:27.95.

After winning the hurdles at the Terrier Invitational, Emma Checovich (North Hampton, N.H.) was back at it again in the home meet as she took first in 8.59 seconds. Virga finished right behind her in 8.92 seconds.

It was a near tie in the 500m run, as Elise Renahan (Atkinson, N.H.) took first in 1:18.81 and Jessica Hackett (Dover, N.H.) took second just 0.07 seconds behind her, in 1:18:88. There was a bit more of a gap in the mile run, as Madeline Quigley (Rowely, Mass.) finished first with a time of five minutes, 13.59 seconds, a full seven seconds faster than the second place runner.

In the jumps, Shelby Strickland (Kennebunk, Maine) took first in the high jump with a five-foot, 5.75-inch jump, just two inches short of her personal best. She was only 0.75 inches off her personal best at the Terrier Invitational. Rachel Morrison (Westwood, Mass.) and Tessa Artruc (Livonia, N.Y.) tied for second with a 5'3.75" jump.

In the pole vault, Kari Murnane (Byram, N.J.) took first with a 11-foot, 5.75-inch vault. In the long jump, Orlacchio took first with 16'8.75" and Katherine Nash (Hampton, N.H.) took second with 16 feet, 0.25 inches. Finally, the triple jump saw Nash take first with 33 feet, 0.5 inches, and Kendra Kukulski (Dracut, Mass.) took second with 32 feet, 10.25 inches.